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What Position WILL the Steelers select @ 17

From the mocks I've read here and outside of the board OLB, Safety, and WR seem to be the popular picks among the fans.
As we are aware RB is a need position, but it depends on how things work out with Ahmad Bradshaw, signing him reduce's the need to draft one early.
Even if we don't sign Bradshaw I don't see us taking a back at 17 unless Lacy is there where they might be tempted, but could be gun shy after the Mendy situation.

WR could be a popular pick but is there one out there that is a sure fire impact player? Most prospects are just that, what they accomplished in college might not translate to the Pro game. It appears WR is a deep position where we could get a decent one later in the draft, so in that sense I would take WR off the board @17.

With the age of our Safety's this position looks to be in the forefront with some fans but again is the dropoff that much between picking one in round one or two that much difference? I think we could say that about most positions, so that's where BPA probably comes into play for the Steelers.

I think the Steelers are set with Worlids taking over at OLB for Harrison, the fact they were looking at Butler may indicate they aren't totally sold on Worlids and wanted some competition or at least better depth than they currently have. OLB could be the position they target if the prospect is considered to be the best in his class.

I have no idea who we'll pick in round one, and think no one really can say they do since we have so many positions to fill, it's a guessing game so I'm going to play that game in that I have two positions in mind not mentioned as much.

Looking at our D-line I'm not sure the Steelers are confident up front, we spent two #1's on DE Hood and Heyward so they probably will let that playout before drafting that same position early. We have Mclendon slated as the starter at NT along with Ta'amu and Fangupo. Problem is Ta'amu and his legal issue's aren't settled yet and we really don't know much about fangupo, so it's back to Mclendon. Are the Steelers confident in him considering his weakness in the run game, and Jason Worlids also a weakness in that area making our defense susceptible to getting gashed in the run game?
I wouldn't discount NT being considered in the Steelers plans although it's not in the forefront right now.

Looking at our CB situation Ike Taylor is similar to the safety position where we will need a replacement in the next two years, considering we can't count on Brown to up his game so that position could be in the top of their list too especially if they can get a good one like Trufant or Rhodes.

In conclusion, I'll go out on a limb here and think either CB or NT will be the Steelers pick in round one, I didn't mention Eifert because he would be my pick now but don't think the Steelers would pick him.
Good CB's are a premium position right below QB so when a team has an opportunity to get one usually they grab him, in this case that may be their pick at 17.

If the guys they are interested in (Vaccaro, Rhodes, etc.) are gone by the time 17 roles around they'll probably go with a "faller", the BPA, as is the Steelers way. However, if they wanted to do something totally uncharacteristic, they could trade for more picks (is there a huge difference between 25-50 this year--depends on what you like) with Miami. Trade value puts us giving up 17 for both 2's (42, 54) and their 4 (111), and would allow Steelers to nab a S, CB, and OL of their choice in 2 and Simon (who they like) in 3, then a WR with one of the 4 picks. #1 receivers are often "bust", not "boom".

If the guys they are interested in (Vaccaro, Rhodes, etc.) are gone by the time 17 roles around they'll probably go with a "faller", the BPA, as is the Steelers way. However, if they wanted to do something totally uncharacteristic, they could trade for more picks (is there a huge difference between 25-50 this year--depends on what you like) with Miami. Trade value puts us giving up 17 for both 2's (42, 54) and their 4 (111), and would allow Steelers to nab a S, CB, and OL of their choice in 2 and Simon (who they like) in 3, then a WR with one of the 4 picks. #1 receivers are often "bust", not "boom".

Great scenario... this is what I've been hoping for. This draft is going to go a long way in determining which direction this team goes in the next few years. It could be boom or more 8-8 seasons or worse...

Uncertainty Surrounding Picks 1-16 Makes Predicting the Pittsburgh Steelers Selection at 17 DifficultHome → NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the 2013 season 8-8 and hold the seventeenth pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Typically a top twenty pick should yield a high quality player and a long-term starter and the Steelers will be looking for just that in April. Since 2000 the Steelers have picked in the top twenty six times. Those picks have brought them Plaxico Burress, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger, Lawrence Timmons and most recently Maurkice Pouncey.

All six of those players became starters for the Steelers and each of them was well worth the pick at which they were drafted. With the seventeenth pick in the 2013 NFL Draft the Steelers will look to find another player that can have an impact on the team for years to come. The Steelers could have their pick of multiple players with that pick, but it all depends on who is drafted with picks one through sixteen.

For the first time in many years the 2013 NFL Draft is very hard to figure out. There aren’t many clear-cut top-tier talents. Instead there are a lot of good players, but very few can’t-miss prospects. Just a few weeks ago Dion Jordan, an outside linebacker out of Oregon, was considered a potential pick for the Steelers in the first round. As things stand now Jordan is considered a top five pick and Jarvis Jones, an outside linebacker form Georgia, who was once considered a top five pick could now be an option for the Steelers.

Other players that are being rumored as potential targets for the Steelers in the draft include the following: safety Kenny Vaccaro of Texas, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson of Tennessee, wide receiver Tavon Austin of West Virginia, tight end Tyler Eifert of Notre Dame, and multiple corners. One of these players, along with Jones listed above, could be the Steelers pick in April or it could be another player. A few draft analysts have the Steelers taking a corner in the first round; the reason I didn’t list them as options is because corner is not a major need for the team despite losing Keenan Lewis in free agency.

Some analysts don’t see Vaccaro getting past the St. Louis Rams at fifteen, but if they pass on him and he does fall to the Steelers he would make a lot of sense. Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark are getting older and the Steelers need to get replacements ready. Right now Vaccaro is considered the top safety in the draft and if the Steelers pass on him with their pick it is unlikely he will get past the Dallas Cowboys at eighteen as they have an even bigger need at safety than the Steelers.

Arguably the Steelers biggest needs are at outside linebacker, wide receiver, and running back after losing starters at each position in free agency. Outside linebacker is a deep position at the top of the draft, but for the Steelers to fill that need they will need to be lucky enough to have one of those players fall to them at seventeen. For that to happen teams will have to reach for needs, but as we have seen in years past that tends to happen in the draft.

During the 2011 NFL Draft four quarterbacks were drafted in the top twelve picks of the draft despite only two players being considered first round picks. With multiple teams in the top ten of the 2013 NFL Draft in need of quarterbacks there is a chance a few could reach for one and help push talented players closer to the Steelers pick. In that case the Steelers would be more likely to get a player like Vaccaro or Jones.

About one month ago both Jones and Texas A&M outside linebacker Damontre Moore were considered top five picks, but now both players may be available with the Steelers make their first selection. Neither player performed well in their pre-draft workouts, but based on tape the two may be the best outside linebacker available in the draft. With the absence of James Harrison the Steelers may be convinced to draft one of them and hope they can replace Harrison if Jason Worilds stuggles to do so.

However, what happens for the Steelers if teams draft based on best players available and all of these players are gone when the Steelers are put on the clock? Well they could look at a couple players that aren’t getting much mention when it comes to the Steelers first pick. Arthur Brown, an inside linebacker out of Kansas State, is considered by some as the best inside linebacker in the draft. With Larry Foote getting older the Steelers need a long-term replacement alongside Lawrence Timmons and Brown could be just that player.

The Steelers are also not expected to bring back long-time nose tackle Casey Hampton. Steve McLendon, who was Hampton’s back-up in 2012, is expected to become the starter, but if the Steelers are concerned about the position in the long run they could look to add a nose tackle. There are a few good nose tackles in this draft and none should have been taken before the Steelers are put on the clock.

Hopefully the Steelers will have their choice of a couple of good prospects or perhaps another top players will fall to them as happend in last year’s draft when David DeCastro fell to the Steelers at the twenty-fourth overall pick. However, if there top players are off the board and they can’t find a trade partner the Steelers may be forced to fill a hole they hadn’t planned on addressing in the first round of the draft. Luckily for them their drafting history in the top twenty is very good and they should still be able to find a player that can help the team.

Another thing to keep in mind as the Steelers prepare for the draft is that if they are looking for a player that can make an immediate impact they may have to look for a player on the offensive side of the ball. The last time a rookie started on the Steelers defense was in 2001 when Kendrell Bell started at middle linebacker.

All I want is BPA. I DO NOT care about position whatsoever. This team needs talent. It needs a first-round pick who can play. It has multiple position needs to be sure. But the bottom line is an infusion of playmaking ability.

All I want is BPA. I DO NOT care about position whatsoever. This team needs talent. It needs a first-round pick who can play. It has multiple position needs to be sure. But the bottom line is an infusion of playmaking ability.

If you want the pick to "play" soon then exclude any defensive pick.

Eifert at TE would play soon and he would be a valuable addition moving the chains and in the end zone. I really don't see another pick in Round 1 who would give you that in 2013 and going forward.

Playing Fantasy Football does not qualify you to be the in the front office or on the coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are professionals and you are not!

A few draft analysts have the Steelers taking a corner in the first round; the reason I didn’t list them as options is because corner is not a major need for the team despite losing Keenan Lewis in free agency.

I disagree. Ike Taylor is getting up there in age and this will be Cortez Allen's first year as a starter. He has potential, but still relatively unproven. We have no one of starter ability behind those two imo. I would go CB in the first to battle with Allen for the starting position. Then replace Taylor next year, if Allen is starter worthy.

Another thing to keep in mind as the Steelers prepare for the draft is that if they are looking for a player that can make an immediate impact they may have to look for a player on the offensive side of the ball. The last time a rookie started on the Steelers defense was in 2001 when Kendrell Bell started at middle linebacker.

I agree with Ovi on this, this is an issue that needs to be addressed.